While working on designing my database, text alignment for fields and field names is always set to right. How do I change it or is there a way to have Filemaker change from always having right aligned text to left aligned.

Thanks.

In layout mode:

Right click on the field you want to format and select the option text format that appears in the list. Paragraph button leads to alighment.

Alternatively select the field and use the Format menu to change the text formatting

You misunderstood my question. I know how to align. What I wanted to know was how to change the default (right) alignment to left.

Apologies - the solution did seem rather obvious!!

I do not think there is a default. However, FMP seems to always repeat formatting i.e. if you place a field on a layout and format the text in some way then the next field you put on the layour will inherit the formatting.

I thiiiink you are right, but if I create a new table, it reverts back to right alignment.

Back to basics and the FMP7 help file: Quotation follows

"FileMaker Pro applies field formatting in the following precedence:

If you don't specify formats, FileMaker Pro displays numbers, dates, and times based on the system formats set in the Regional Options control panel (Windows) or the International pane in the System Preferences application (Mac OS) when the file was created.

You can specify display formats for fields with no objects selected. FileMaker Pro applies these default formats to fields you place on layouts later.

Once you place fields, you can select one or more fields and specify formats" ....

There is a lot more. Particularly: in layout mode you can control click a field and that then becomes the default for new fields.

Thank you for the basic lesson in FMP and Windows, but it still doesn't answer my question.

Can the "right text align" be changed to default to "left align"???

As SlimJim basically stated in the last line of his post, Ctrl-click on a left-aligned field and the formatting for that field will become the default for added fields.

No it doesn't. While in a field, I did this, ok it works for that layout. If I create a new table with new fields, it still reverts back to right aligned.

It works for me. What version of 7 are you using?

Ok I may have goofed a little, I am talking about the FIELD LABEL, not the field itself.

Ah, I do not believe that can be changed then. Sorry for the confusion.

Sorry to keep banging on about the help file but I find it useful. Apparently to change the default format go into layout mode, click on an empty space in the layout and then set the formatting that you wish to be default from the Format menu.

'Sokay, my fault for not supplicating properly.

oh well...

Ignore my last post I missed the one about the Field Label being the culprit.